Shark Week? At NOAA Fisheries, Every Week is Shark Week

Sharks
thrill us because they’re mysterious, powerful, terrifying, and beautiful. That’s
why there’s a Shark Week. And, as top predators in the marine ecosystem, sharks
are also vital to the health of the ocean. That’s why there’s a corps of NOAA
Fisheries scientists and managers who are dedicated to researching and protecting
sharks. This week, on the NOAA Fisheries website, you can meet
our shark experts.

You can also check out a very cool and—don’t say we didn’t warn you—disgusting
video of our expert, Antonella Preti,
dissecting the stomach of a 12-foot-long, 1,300 pound shortfin mako shark. She specializes in the feeding ecology of sharks, or more specifically she studies what’s in their stomachs. By analyzing the contents of more than 2,000 swordfish and shark stomachs, Preti and her
colleagues have built a database of who eats who in the ocean, an essential
tool for managing fisheries. Preti shows us it really takes guts to be a scientist.

Also, meet Lisa Natanson, an expert on the life history of sharks, and see her role
in analyzing the age of the shortfin mako. A shark backbone has rings much like
those of a tree that can help a scientist determine a shark’s age. On Thursday,
August 8, at 2:00 p.m. EST, Natanson and Preti will hold a live tweet chat to answer your questions about shark science and anything you might want to know about the shortfin mako.

John
Carlson is a shark scientist whose research focuses on rebuilding vulnerable
populations of sharks and sustainably managing shark fisheries. Listen to this podcast to
hear Carlson discuss his research into whether sharks are more likely to
survive if caught on a circle hook instead of the more common J hook.

You’ll also find loads of other shark content, from videos to photos to interviews
with more experts.

At NOAA Fisheries, our goal is to sustainably
manage shark populations so that we can continue to enjoy the economic and
ecological benefits they provide. And we do that every week of the year. So
visit our website at www.fisheries.noaa.govduring Shark Week, and learn what we’re doing to create a sustainable future for sharks.